Ukraine U-19 players open up about EURO 2024 preparation and objectives
The Ukraine U-19 team (players born no earlier than 2005) continues its preparations for the final stage of the EURO 2024.
The continental championship is scheduled to take place from July 15 to 28 in Northern Ireland. Players Maksym Melnychenko and Danylo Krevsun of the Ukraine U-19 team shared insights into the preparation process and the team's goals for the upcoming competitions.
"Our spirits are high, and everyone is happy to be together. We're gradually gearing up for the start of the European Championship. Our ultimate goal is to clinch the championship title. At the very least, we aim to secure qualification for the U-20 World Cup," said Maksym Melnychenko.
"We have ambitious targets for this Euro. Our minimum objective is to qualify for the World Cup, while our maximum aspiration is to win the European Championship. I'm already physically prepared, and we still have a week of training left, including a friendly match, before we begin our Euro matches," added Danylo Krevsun.
Reminder: On July 9, the Ukraine U-19 team will play a friendly match against a Polish team.
Ukraine U-19 Squad:
Goalkeepers: Markian Bakus (Rukh Lviv), Vyacheslav Surkis (Dynamo Kyiv), Vladyslav Krapyvtsov (Dnipro-1 Dnipro).
Defenders: Taras Mykhavko, Nazar Balaba, Oleksiy Husiev (all Dynamo Kyiv), Mykola Oharkov, Anton Drozd (both Shakhtar Donetsk), Maksym Melnychenko (Dnipro-1 Dnipro), Kyrylo Dihtyar (Metalist Kharkiv).
Midfielders: Viktor Tsukanov (Shakhtar Donetsk), Daniil Vashchenko (Oleksandriya), Andriy Matkevych (Dynamo Kyiv), Samuel Obinaya (Metalist 1925 Kharkiv), Ramik Hadzhyiev (Dnipro-1 Dnipro), Hennadiy Synchuk (Metalist Kharkiv), Oleksandr Fetko (Karpaty Lviv), Danylo Krevsun (Borussia Dortmund, Germany), Maksym Derkach (RFSH, Latvia), Timur Tutierov (Sunderland, England), Christian Shevchenko (Watford, England).
Forwards: Matviy Ponomarenko (Dynamo Kyiv), Dmytro Bohdanov (Dynamo Dresden, Germany).
The official squad for EURO 2024 will include three goalkeepers (one as a reserve) and 18 outfield players.
EURO 2024 (U-19)
Group A: Northern Ireland, Norway, Italy, Ukraine.
Group B: Denmark, Turkey, France, Spain.
Group A
15.07.2024
Italy vs. Norway (17:30, Belfast)
Northern Ireland vs. Ukraine (21:00, Larne)
18.07.2024
Norway vs. Ukraine (17:30, Belfast)
Northern Ireland vs. Italy (21:00, Larne)
21.07.2024
Norway vs. Northern Ireland (21:00, Belfast)
Ukraine vs. Italy (21:00, Larne)
25.07.2024
Playoff for a spot in the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup
A3 vs. B3 (18:30, Belfast)
Semi-finals
A1 vs. B2 (16:00, Belfast)
B1 vs. A2 (21:00, Belfast)
28.07.2024
Final
Winner 1 vs. Winner 2 (21:00, Belfast)
Match times are in Kyiv time.
It's worth noting that on March 26, our team splendidly concluded the elite round of Euro 2024 (U-19) qualification with a victory over Switzerland (3:0). Before that, Dmytro Mikhaylenko's wards defeated North Macedonia (2:0) and Latvia (3:0). The blue-yellows won their group with the maximum points and earned a spot in the final tournament of the European Championship, which will take place from July 15 to 28 in Northern Ireland, with the participation of eight national teams.
The two best teams from each quartet will advance to the semifinals. The final for the main trophy will be held on July 28 at Windsor Park in Belfast. There is no match scheduled for the third place, but the fifth-place match will take place, as Europe will delegate five representatives to the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup, which will be held in Chile with 24 national teams participating. Therefore, the winner of the match between the third-placed teams in the groups will join the four semifinalists. Like the semifinals, it is scheduled for July 25.
It's also worth mentioning that this will be the eighth final tournament for the Ukraine U-19 team in the European Championship. In 2019, Ukraine won gold at the FIFA U-20 World Cup.